How To Work Out In The Morning

How to Stick to Your Morning Workouts, According to Pro Trainers

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We all know that working out in the morning is a great way to start the day, but the 5 a.m. blare of an alarm clock has an annoying way of scrambling that perspective and sabotaging your good intentions at the last minute. Instead of rolling down the covers, you reach for the snooze button—and tap out.

Getting used to a morning workout routine can be challenging for the best of us, but it can also be made a great deal easier if you apply a bit of strategy in advance. Here are eight ways two of New York City’s top trainers and earliest birds commit to the morning shift.

1. Book It In Advance

If group fitness classes or working out with a personal trainer are part of your fitness regimen, schedule those workouts for the mornings. Unlike a trip to the weight room, each on of those personal training sessions cost you money by the workout. “You’ve already paid,” says Flywheel instructor Jaimie Bailey. “You’ve got skin in the game.”

2. Don't Half-Ass It

Don’t let your hard-earned wake-up be in vain. Getting out of bed on time is a battle won, but you haven’t won the war yet. “If you’re heading to a group workout class, you want to arrive early—many studios only allow you a five-minute grace period,” says Barry’s Bootcamp master trainer Keoni Hudoba. “Also check the news the night before for potential delays due to weather or transportation.”

3. Have A Drink

Got one? Bailey’s is her “Supercharged Coffee” (recipe below)—a vanilla-flavored, brain-boosting caffeine rocket that not only helps incentivize her to get out of bed but gives her the energy and mental focus to power through her morning workout. Give it a try, or come up with your own!

Jaimie Bailey’s Supercharged Coffee:

Mix all ingredients in a blender

16 oz coffee

2 scoops Further Foods Collagen

2 tsp MCT Oil

Cinnamon

1 splash French vanilla Nutpods creamer

4. Scroll The 'Gram

You’d be surprised by how quickly you can get yourself in the mood to exercise by simply scrolling through your feed for photos of other people working out—it’s not like you have to scroll far to find them. And no post is more motivating than the one you published the night before telling your followers about how stoked you are for your morning workout; you won’t just be doing yourself a favor. “Posting about your workout on social media motivates not only yourself but also others to get up and move,” says Hudoba.

5. Get Actual Sleep

It’s not rocket science: going to bed earlier to get the National Sleep Foundation-recommended 7–9 hours of sleep will make waking up early significantly easier. It’ll also give you the energy you need to not only commit to your workout, but actually enjoy it—not to mention recover more fully from your last workout. “If you’re going to wake up early, you might as well get the most out of it,” says Bailey. “Go to sleep early and give your workout your best.”

6. Prep A Go Bag

Ever notice how you suck at deciding which clothes go together when you’ve just woken up? Don’t put yourself through that—all you’re doing is wasting time. “Pack your bag the night before, and lay out your clothes,” says Hudoba. You’ll cut down the time it takes you to get ready in the morning, and you’ll find it easier to get out of bed seeing your clothes laid out and knowing all your gear is good to go.

7. Drag A Friend Along With You

Working out with a partner is a good idea, period. Training with someone stronger, faster, or fitter than you is one of the best ways to get after your goals. And scheduling an early workout with a friend is a sure way to hold yourself accountable, says Bailey. “You don’t want to be the one to cancel and flake out.”

8. Remember Your 'Why'

Why are you working out, anyway? Is it to hit a number on the scale, or to look a certain way in the mirror? Or maybe it’s to be a fitter, healthier dad for your kids. Regardless, you scheduled this workout for a reason, and deep down you know you’ll thank yourself later. “Remember why you’re doing it in the first place—to feel good, energized, and strong,” says Bailey. “How could you not want to start your day like that?”

Morning Workout Must-Haves

Solgaard Life Pack

When you’re rolling out of bed and through the front door with half of your brain still asleep, it’s nice to know you’re ready to go wherever the day might take you. The stealthy tech in this deceptively roomy backpack—which has a separate compartment to stash your gym clothes—packs enough power to charge a smartphone six times, and it juices itself back up using a solar panel incorporated into its refreshingly minimalist Danish design. It can open beers, too.$199.00 at Solgaard.co

OWYN Cold Brew Protein Shake

Forget that they pack 20g of natural, plant-based protein; these dairy-free recovery drinks taste so good, they’ll have you scheduling new workouts rather than canceling existing ones. Stash one in your backpack to take care of post-workout recovery on the go, or start your day with the cold brew flavor, which contains a cup of coffee's worth of organic caffeine.$38.99 (12-pack) at Amazon.com

Get There Company Super Band

Hitting the gym before work doesn’t leave much time for standing around, waiting for the 45-pound dumbbells. With the right resistance band, you can replace free weights entirely. Better yet, performing exercises like curls with a resistance band increases your muscles’ time under tension, promoting more effective muscle growth. This band from Boston-based Get There Company fits into any bag and provides 30–60 pounds of biceps-bulking resistance.$17.99 at Gettherecompany.com

Zero K Wipes

Some days you finish your workout on time and get to enjoy a nice, relaxing post-workout shower before heading to the office. But if you’re like most guys, it doesn’t matter anyway because you’re going to continue sweating for at least another 20 minutes regardless. These hypoallergenic wipes use natural ingredients like peppermint oil and menthol to scientifically cool your skin and leave you smelling minty fresh. Pick up a 30-pack and stash the individually packaged wipes in your car, office, and pockets.$23.99 at Zerokwipes.com

TrüFORMAT Exercise Mat

At just an eighth of an inch thick, this premium mat is designed to be folded, not rolled, making it supremely portable to use in the morning and stash for the rest of the day. But its real strength is its patent-pending body alignment system, hidden in the mat’s eye-catching scorpion design. Use the horizontal lines to gauge mobility as you stretch, or perfect your warrior foot placement by aligning your back foot with the mat’s 45-degree angles.$183.00 at Truformat.com

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